With a warm breeze gently rippling the blue waters of Start Bay and the River Dart, the 161st Post of Dartmouth Royal Regatta ended on a high note on Sunday and left the massive entry of 282 local and visiting boats and their crews with lasting memories.

The five days of racing did not start well though, with 30 knot winds and driving rain forcing the cancellation of the Baltic Wharf Passage Race from Brixham to Dartmouth on Wednesday. Still, it’s only a feeder race and does not count towards Regatta series points so no one was too worried. And when the Red Arrows put in their scheduled appearance in the skies over Dartmouth that evening then everything was literally – looking up.

With racing over four separate courses for Yachts, Keelboats and Dinghies, Regatta Officials were always going to be busy, but races invariably ran smoothly with only a small number of incidents involving dismasting or in one case, a small injury. The organisers were heartened this year by the number of ‘big boats’ from up country, including two Solent based Farr 45s Atomic and Audacious, who were challenged by a couple of local J133sQuicksilver and Jammy Dodger in the hands of Rennie McArthur Miller and Neil Martin.

However, it was the Ker 11.3 Highlife of Peter Rogers of the Royal London Yacht Club that eroded Quicksilvers early lead in the five series to emerge as narrow winner, with the big Swan 45 Hawk of Michael Broughton third in the 29 strong IRC 1 fleet.

IRC 2 was again dominated by the X99 Xcellent of John Pollard from Brixham Yacht Club who led from day 1 only allowing runner up Adam Gosling in his Corby 29 Yes the consolation of a win on the final day. Nigel and Suzie Brooke were third in Jalapeno, while Jonathon Butler was fourth, and first X322 in Peanut.

IRC 3 fell to another Dartmouth regular, Frank Ellwood from Saltash in his J/29 Lingo, but only on a tie breaker after a series long battle with the Laser 28s of both Ivan Wilkinson – Silk Purse, and Chris Rhodes in Alibi.

PY1 was another closely fought division with the classic yacht Uomie of Dartmouth sailor Don Cambell taking an early lead. However, Simon Filmer was determined not to have made the long journey from Helford for nothing, and overhauled Campbell to take the trophy with three straight wins in Jinjy.

Stephen Kilpatrick in Berserker fought off Stephen Pirie from Parkstone Yacht Club in Dorset to keep the PY2 title in Devon whilst PY3 fell to David Mettam with On the Ball from the Axe Sailing Club.

Classes for Sportsboats and J/80s were amalgamated and consisted of no fewer than 12 races during the four days! Stephen Porter proved virtually unbeatable in his Cork 1720 Pollyphagus with 11 wins out of 12, whilst the popular J80’s went to Dartmouth sailor Simon Unwin in Jack. Jonathon Butler took the X332 category in Peaunut whilst Chris Wride took the Sigma Trophy home to Exeter.

The Old Gaffers were saddened to be racing this year without the familiar figure of Brian Keelan at the helm of Kelpie after his untimely death at Falmouth a few weeks ago. However, The Kelpie Gold Purse of 5 Gold Sovereigns was fiercely fought for by a good field, which included TV personality David Dimbleby and his son in Rocket. The gold however, finally went to Lance Rowell in Dorothy whilst the well-supported small gaffer category was won by Mike Lucas in Marie Louise.

The Dart has a healthy keelboat fleet with Squibs, Scimitars and Dragons racing every Wednesday. Not surprisingly Jock Douglas took the Dragons for the umpteenth year in Cruachan although he was nearly overhauled in a late charge by Roger Jobson in Dragonfly. Kingswear hoteliers Kit and Penny Noble won the Squibs in fine style whilst Matt Reed whitewashed the Scimitars with eight wins from eight starts in Bandido – and still found time to propose to his crew member Catherine during one race. She accepted.

Devon Yawls saw a close fought battle between Alan Winton in Winnie and Dartmouth estate agent Michael Bennett in Two’s Company, the decision finally going to Winton after two wins on the final day. Those interlopers from over the border – the Cornish Shrimpers – was dominated by Clive Woodman of the RNSA in Freya who took the title off last years winner Kevin Mooney from Tewkesbury Sailing Club.

Overall Results

IRC 1

1 Sabey Trophy Peter Rogers Highlife Ker 11.3

2 Gillian Trophy Rennie McArthur Miller Quicksilver J/133

3 Aish Pot Michael Broughton Hawk Swan 45

IRC 2

1 Stewart Bam Trophy John Pollard Xcellent X99

2 Kingswear Cup Adam Gosling Yes Corby 29

3 Nethway Trophy Nigel and Suzie Brooke Jalapeno J/109

IRC 3

1 Scotts Trophy Frank Ellwood Lingo J/29

2 Harris Trophy Ivan Wilkinson Silk Purse Laser 28

3 Nethway Pot Chris Rhodes Alibi Laser 28

PY 1

1 Elmdon Trophy Simon Filmer Jinjy PY

2 Cock a Leekie Cup Don Campbell Uomie RORC

3 Frank Ball Salver Andrew Maunder Xtrovert X 372

PY 2

1 Tuson Trophy Stephen Kilpatrick Berserker Trapper 28

2 Maypool Trophy Stephen Pirie Whiskey Mac Hunter

3 Aish Plate Ian Morton Dasler Sadler 32

PY 3

1 Silver Crown Trophy David Mettam On the Ball Hunter

2 Dartmouth Chandlers Sheryl Savage Legend Westerley

3 Measures Cup Stephen Dart Gordon Rose Mini Tonner

J/80

1 J80 Trophy Simon Unwin Jack

2 Jeremy and Maxine Round-Smith Jezebel

3 Mark Lobb Jet Set

Sportsboats

1 Sportsboats Trophy Stephen Porter Polyphagus Cork 1720

X332

1 Tankard Jonathan Butler Peanut

2 Peter Davis Seaweed 3

3 Val & Mike Mackie Xcapade

Sigma

1 Wray Trophy Chris Wride Jazz

Old Gaffers YOG1

1 Alliance Trophy Charles Towns Baltic Bris

2 Anchor Trophy Lance Rowell Dorothy

Old Gaffers YOG2

1 Jackson Stopps and Staff Trophy Mike Lucas Marie Louise

2 Old Gaffers Goblet Peter Bidwell Pearl

3 McKillop Trophy Gilbert Hayward Mary Hay

Cornish Shrimpers

1 Westbrook Cup Clive Woodman Freya

2 Kevin Mooney Lucidity

3 Ian Gibson Froya

Devon Yawls

1 Michael Bennett Trophy Alan Winton Winnie

2 Michael Bennett Two’s Company

Scimitars

1 Maurice Vass Trophy Matt Reed Bandido

2 Austin Issard-Davis Sugar Plum

3 Chris Hill Sapphire

Squibs

1 Guy Hutton Cup Kit & Penny Noble Brigand

2 Jinks & Chris Woodfield Sea Breeze

3 Edward Tolliday No Wonder

Dragons

1 Dartmouth Vintners Trophy Jock Douglas Cruachan